Sales Manager Resume Examples & Writing Tips for 2025

Ready to land your next sales manager job? It’s tough out there. Long gone are the days when a sales manager would simply hit their revenue targets and lead a team to success. That’s the baseline. But in 2025, recruiters are looking for more from these professionals.

With AI tools shaking up the industry, hybrid and remote work becoming the norm, and a saturated candidate pool, you need to step up to the challenge. To seal the deal, you need to show you can build agile teams, navigate flexible working, and use real strategy when vetting applicants.

Yes, in just one or two pages, you need to tell a compelling career story. It’s all about showing that you’re more than your achievements. You’re a business whiz, building repeatable processes that use the latest tools and technology.

But how do you show your prowess on your next resume?

In this guide, we’ll take you through the steps you need to follow. We’ll be covering how to tailor your resume, what must-haves to include, and how to make sure you stand out.

How to use this sales manager resume guide

We’ve packed this resume guide with plenty of actionable advice to help you land your next sales manager job. But how can you make the best of it? Use our checklist below.

What to focus on when writing your sales manager resume

Climbing the career ladder means giving recruiters more than they expect from you. Choose a clear focus—or two—when writing your sales manager resume. Your application should tell a solid story highlighting why you’re the perfect fit for the vacancy at hand.

Here are some of the angles you can take:

• Specific sales targets exceeded with metrics
• AI-automation and the tools you use
• Examples of strategic processes
• Clear communication and language

Next up, we take a look at each of the approaches you can take:

Specific sales targets exceeded with metrics

As a salesperson, you already know the value of numbers. If you’ve always smashed your targets and exceeded expectations, now is the ideal time to shout about it.

Money talks. Let the recruiter know exactly how much cash you made for each company. The bigger your revenue, the more likely they are to pay close attention.

Here’s what we mean:

AI-automation and the tools you use

AI is taking over nearly every industry across the U.S. If you’re not using these tools in your sales management, you’re missing a trick. Detail the software you already use.

Examples of strategic processes

What strategic processes do you use to excel in the world of sales? If you have a secret formula for success, tell the hiring manager about it. Be clear about the strategies you use.

Don’t just say you’re strategic… prove it. Detail the unique strategies you’ve used when adding bullet points to your work experience section.

Here’s an example:

Clear communication and language

Salespeople have to be expert communicators. Let this talent shine through in your resume. Keep your writing clear, consistent, and easy to follow at all times.

When you’ve nailed your writing, don’t forget the design. Make sure your resume layout is logical and scannable. This approach makes it super simple to read.

You already know what angle to use—let’s move on to picking the perfect resume format.

How to choose the right resume format

Not sure which resume format to choose? There are three common structures that you can use, as follows:

• Reverse-chronological format: the standard resume format
• Functional format: Ideal for career changers or newcomers
• Combination format: a structure with elements of both

If you’ve worked in sales for years, climbing the career ladder, using a reverse-chronological resume format is the way to go. This showcases your relevant experience in reverse order, starting with your most recent positions at the top of the page and working backwards.

New to the world of sales? If you’ve been a manager in another sector, you may want to use a functional format instead. This approach accentuates your skills over your experience.

Structuring your resume isn’t hard, so long as you stick to these golden rules. Now that you know how to do it, let’s move on to what you need to write.

What to include in your resume header

First things first, it’s time to tackle your resume header. This is basically your business card, containing the basic details a hiring manager needs to know about you.

Let’s take a look at what you should include:

• Your name: Start with your first and last name.
• Job title: You should typically write “Sales Manager” here.
• Contact details: List your phone number and professional email.
• Location: Add your city and state (not your full address).
• LinkedIn: If you have a strong profile, hyperlink it in this section.

Check out our example for inspiration:

How to write a resume summary

Catch the hiring manager’s attention with a captivating resume summary. This is a short paragraph that sits at the top of the page. It’s often the first thing they'll read.

Use resume action words and persuasive language to hook them in. Every part of this section must add value to your sales manager resume. Think: impact first.

Here’s an example of a summary for a sales manager:

Including facts, metrics, and enthusiasm, the above summary is certain to spark a reader’s interest. Next, let’s dive headfirst into how to write your experience section.

How to write a quantifiable resume experience section

You’ll need a wealth of work experience on your resume to land a sales manager position. However, knowing which roles to spotlight can be tricky, especially if you have years of experience. Make sure you’re selective when writing this section of your resume.

Start out by writing down the basics: the company name, location, your job title, and your employment dates. Below that, add some bullet points to cover your main achievements.

Check out our example below:

Wherever you can, add numbers and metrics. This gives the hiring manager a clearer idea of the results you can deliver. Don’t be afraid to be ultra-specific.

Sales manager resume work experience samples

Looking for a way to show off your professional strengths? When writing your work experience section, there are a few different angles you can take. Refer back to your USP and align your achievements with it. This approach helps you craft a cohesive, logical resume.

Here are some examples of just what we mean:

Results-led example

If you have what it takes to get real, tangible results, let that guide your work experience section. Include your biggest accomplishments as bullet points throughout.

AI-focused example

Are you ahead of the curve when it comes to AI? Let the hiring manager know you’ve got to grips with the latest tools by sliding them neatly into this section of your resume.

Relationship-centric example

Without strong relationships with clients or stakeholders, you’d struggle to smash targets. For that reason, you can tailor your experience to show you’re a pro at connecting with people.

Listing your skills on your resume

You’ll need both hard and soft skills on your resume. Sales managers rarely wear one hat—you’re in charge of everything from the pipeline to your employees. Use this section of your resume to share the talents that help you get the job done like a pro.

First up, check out the job advert and look for core competencies in the job description. Highlight any that you already have and include them on your resume. This simple trick instantly boosts your chances of getting the hiring manager’s attention.

Here’s an example of the skills you could include:

Best hard skills to feature on your sales manager resume

Hard skills apply directly to the job. You’ll often learn these through training, at college, or while you’re working.

You might want to list the specialist tools you use, the practices you follow, and your strategic mindset. All of the above is likely to put you in a prime position as a candidate.

Check out an example below:

Best soft skills to feature on your sales manager resume

Resumes are all about balance. Aside from your hard skills, you’ll also need some soft skills. These tend to be natural talents, such as people skills or communication, that you’ve honed over time. Consider why you went into sales in the first place. What characteristics or traits made you perfect for a role in this competitive field?

Let’s take a look at an example:

Education on a resume

When you’ve ticked all the other boxes, it’s time to deal with the education resume section. You can include both your formal education—i.e., your college or high school qualifications—and any professional training you’ve done since then. Go ahead and toot your own horn.

Formal education

If you have a college degree or degrees, add them to the top of this section. Hiring managers will pay close attention to these qualifications if they align with the industry, particularly in fields like business or communications.

You can also shine a light on any honors, such asCum Laude or the Dean’s list. However, you should only include your GPA if it’s above 3.5.

Professional training

Education doesn’t start and end in the classroom. If you’ve completed some professional certifications, they could help you stand out from the crowd.

Here are some examples:

• HubSpot Sales Enablement Certification
• Sandler Sales Training
• RAIN Group Sales Training
• Coursera: The Art of Sales – Northwestern University
• Salesforce Trailhead: Sales Cloud Training

Here’s a good example of a sales manager education section:

Extra sections to include in your sales manager resume

There’s value in giving people more than they expect. But you already know that. If you’ve reached this point, consider adding some extra resume sections into the mix.

We’ve picked out three sections you could include:

Language section

Speaking a second language is always positive, especially if you’re working with customers around the world. Detail a language section that shows off your linguistic talents.

Hobbies and interests section

Humanizing yourself to the hiring manager makes you instantly likable (and hirable!). You can do that by writing down hobbies on your resume. In each case, think about what the hobby tells the reader about you and your skill set.

Volunteer work section

Have you done volunteer work in the past? If this adds to your work experience, it’s certainly worth listing on your resume. Create an extra section for it now.

Conclusion

You’re ready to get started and craft the perfect sales manager resume. Use the advice we’ve shared in this guide to write captivating sections. Our drag-and-drop resume builder tool makes the whole thing a cinch. Create a beautiful design in no time.